Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia emersleyi 'El Toro'
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Common Name: El Toro Muhly Grass  
Plant photo of: Muhlenbergia emersleyi 'El Toro'
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Perennial, Grass

 

Height Range

1-3'

 

Flower Color

Pink, Purple

 

Flower Season

Fall

 

Leaf Color

Green, Blue Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Fast

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish

 

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Shrub Border, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Erosion Control, Filler, Mass Planting, Naturalizing, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Mountain States Nursery

  • Description

  • Notes

A wonderful western native ornamental grass, 'El Toro' has coarse blue-green foliage and blooms in late summer with showy, fluffy ivory plumes than age to silver. A very heat tolerant. Native to Arizona and Texas. Grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
Grow in well drained soil and full sun to part sun. Prefers Frost tolerant to 0 F. Some sources list this plant as a Zone 6, so it may not be well suited to gardens in our higher elevations, but it should be good in the valley if it is sited where it gets lots of sun and heat.